Pioneer Pro Tibay hung tough to outlast the Sista Super Sealers, 12-10, and claim the championship in the PBA 3×3 Second Conference Grand Finals on Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Pioneer led for most of the game, even leading by five at one point at 9-4. However, Sista made it a ballgame as JJ Manlangit and Jan Jamon started hitting their groove and pulled to within two, 10-12.
Sista even had a shot at tying the match with just seconds to go but Manlangit’s three-point try bounced off the rim as time expired, giving Pioneer the win and their first-ever title in the PBA 3×3 circuit. It was a lucrative victory as well as Pioneer bagged the whopping cash prize of P750,000.
Gian Abrigo and Christian Rivera scored four points each, while Robin Rono and Carlo Escalambre added two apiece for Pioneer. The road to the finals was a tricky one for Pioneer as they went through pool play action to secure a berth in the knockout rounds.
Next, they had to take down the powerhouse Limitless App, 16-14, in the quarterfinals, thanks to a game-winning bucket by Gian Abrigo. Their semifinal match against Barangay Ginebra was just as tough but it was Robin Rono that saved the day for Pioneer, scoring the game-winning deuce for a 16-14 victory.
Sista was led by Jamon who scored six points as the Super Sealers brought home the P250,000 runner up prize.
Barangay Ginebra took third place honors with a 21-16 win over TNT. Ginebra bagged P100,000.
